Mine
by sweettayjax
Summary: AU: In an advanced civilization (think The Jetsons) Michonne and Ricks worlds collide when they risk everything to save the ones they love. Not only do they have to fight zombies, Negan, they have to also fight against their attraction to each other caused by a dormant virus, created so inhabitants of this world to populate the new earth. Can they do it? Don't we want them to?
1. Chapter 1

"Carl!"

"Carl!"

Carl took a deep breath and did his best not to let the impatience he felt show in his voice when he answered his little sister, "Yes, Judes."

They were heading downtown to The Joy, which was a toy store for kids. The Joy store had been advertising a sale on toys for the past week, such as the flying tricycle, or the animated teddy bear. The sale synced perfectly with Judes' fifth birthday. Carl had made a promise to her and his father that he would take Judith to the hellish store and allow her to buy anything she wanted, within range of the allowance his father had deposited on their Deso card.

As it were, Carl was assigned this birthday duty by his father, Rick Grimes, who did not have the time himself. As the leader of the Infantry group, the military protectors of their small city of Alexandria, Rick could not reschedule an important meeting he had with the President of Alexandra, Deanna Montague. They were to be in a closed session meeting for half of the day, so it was up to Carl to keep Judith busy until Rick was free the rest of the afternoon.

"Are we there yet?" Judith asked from the back of Carl's hover board. She was strapped in and Carl had set up his vt-monitor at the ready, in the hope of keeping her distracted while he took in a nap; she would be able to watch all her favorite videos.

Earlier, Judith woke up at least two hours before the sun made an appearance and declared, "IT"S MY BIRTHDAY!" Her announcement reverberated through the Grimes household, waking up both Carl and his father.

Rick didn't seem to mind as he appeared at Carl's door with Judith in his arms, a wide smile filling his face. "Come on son, it seems your sister would like to get the festivities started sooner rather than later."

To both of their surprise, Carl made no move to argue that it was four in the morning and it was too soon for anyone to celebrate. He just rolled out of bed and followed his father and sister downstairs to their large kitchen and helped his father make Judith's favorite breakfast, blueberry pancakes.

Now, Carl looked at his wrist band, which was connected to the hoverboard's directional system. "We're a few minutes away."

He yawned, stretching his long limbs in the tiny cabin. He had long since outgrown this tiny transportation machine, but Judith loved riding in it and his father felt it was safer than allowing both of his children to walk the path to the small city alone. Although many of the zombies that once roamed the area had been destroyed, every now and then, a herd would have to be tracked and destroyed. The round exterior of the hoverboard, no bigger than a Volkswagen beetle, the silver air born vehicle, kept them safe from any outside trouble.

"YAY!" Judith yelled.

Carl let out a deep sigh, there was no need to close his eyes again, so he decided to check his messages instead. Strolling past the to-do list his father had managed to send him, Carl's eyes widened when he saw a message from his female classmate Enid. He fumbled as he tried to open the message on his wristband, not wanting to disturb Judy who was now engrossed in the movie on his vt-monitor.

"Morning Carl, do you have some time this weekend to help me with my bow and arrow technique? Professor Dublin says I need more practice and suggested I ask you for help since you hold the highest grade in the class. Please let me know at your earliest, as I have to gain permission from my guardians."

Carl quickly typed, "Sure, I am free tomorrow. Today is my little sister's birthday. Just let me know the time and place."

The hoverboard lunged to a stop and the interior turned a bright blue, then green, signaling that they arrived at their destination. Judith giggled as she unstrapped herself from her seat, excited to get started on finding her birthday present.

"Let's go!" she said as the side door opened to reveal a sidewalk and the exterior of The Joy store.

Carl unfurled his tall body and followed his little sister into the store. For a second, he thought Judith had gone into shock as she stood frozen in one place and took in the wonders of the giant store. Kids and parents pushed past them, but Judith remained in the same spot.

Carl bent down so he could be at eye level to his younger sister, "Judes?" he asked, "Are you alright?"

"It's just really big," Judith whispered. "Really big." She said again. Carl had never seen his little sister act like this, she was awestruck.

"Yeah it is," Carl answered

"Will you come with me?" Judith asked.

"Of course." Standing, Carl took Judith's hands in his and together they went off to explore the store.

It wasn't long until Judith found a little boy her age and they took off together riding a flying spaceship. His wristband vibrated, and Carl found that Enid had responded to his message. "I can meet you at the rear fence of yard 3 at noon but I promised my Guardians I would be home by four p.m."

Carl replied quickly, this time using the vt-monitor, "That should give us plenty of time to practice."

"Great! See you there. And thanks for taking your time to assist me."

"No problem. Glad I can help." Carl couldn't help but feel a little nervous about spending time with Enid. She was not his "Indlovu", his chemical love match, Carl was way too young to have an "Indlovu" reaction, but he did feel something for her.

His friend Ron told him it was a crush; Carl didn't know what to name it but he knew he liked spending time with her. Carl had heard that chemical Indlovu reaction never happened for some as it had not happened for his father and mother. They had met and fell in love the natural way.

Indluvu was a love finder virus, the virus laid dormant in the blood stream, it was given to settlers of this world a thousand years ago in hopes to keep the population growing. The virus turned active when those of matched chemistry met. Once the matched love birds looked into each other's eyes, the Indluvu virus would become active; there would be a quick physical reaction, where their hormones hit a high peak and the love birds could not think of nothing else but spending time with each other. This would last for about thirty days straight, once the thirty days were through, both parties could decide if they wanted to be together or they could go on with their lives.

Carl remembered seeing the Indlovu reaction take place only once and that was with his uncle Shane had met his now wife Andrea. He was about ten at the time, when he, his father, and Shane had entered a communal elevator after leaving a Sunday baseball game. Carl was not sure what exactly happened, but all that he remembered is one second Shane was joking with his dad about the umpires last call and the next he was all over some blond woman. One second Shane was next to Carl in the elevator, and the next, he was in a corner of the elevator hiking up the woman's red dress as he pressed between her legs. That was all Carl was able to observe before his father covered his eyes. Carl didn't see much of his uncle for a long time after, and when he saw him again, they were at he and Andrea's wedding.

"Carl!" Judith yelled from across the room. She was standing a few feet away from the talking Teddy bears. "This is what I want for my birthday."

Happily, Carl helped his sister carry the large size teddy bear to the checkout stand. He was so ready to leave the loud, noisy place. He silently wondered if all three of them would fit into the hoverboard, but if Judith wanted it, he would make it work somehow, even if he had to strap stuffed bear to the top of the round vehicle.

As they waited for their turn to be checked out, Carl asked, "So why did you pick this one, Judes? I thought you really liked the rocket?"

Judith shrugged, "I did, but who would ride it with me?" she answered picking at the teddy bear's artificial fur, "You and daddy are way too big. But my teddy likes to read and hug. We can have tea time and watch videos together when you're busy."

Carl didn't know what to say, he was nine years older than Judith, but he always tried to make time for her. But if he was truthful, for the past six months since school had started back, he had spent less and less time hanging with her. Before he could respond, the checker asked for his Deso number so they could charge the teddy bear to their father's account. Once finished, he crab-walked the very large teddy bear out the door behind his sister.

"Hold on, Judes," he called out once they hit the sidewalk outside of the store. Carl used his other hand to call back their hoverboard, which had risen to a safe level to keep the streets clear. He heard her say okay right before something slammed hard into his right side, knocking him off of his feet. A large white flash blinding him, as something slammed against his right temple. The bear went flying as Carl crumbled to the ground.

A deep voice said from somewhere above him, "Grab her!"

"Carl!" Judith screamed from somewhere to his right.

"Judes!" Carl slurred as he tried to get up, but his head was ringing and he could feel something wet trickling down the right side of his face; the white light had blinded him somehow and he couldn't see a thing, only dark shadows.

"Carrrrlll!"

"Shut her up!" came the deep voice again, which now seemed closer. Muffled screams came from Carl's right side.

Carl lunged out and grabbed onto something solid, it was an arm, no a leg, a leather clad leg. "What are you doing to my little sister?" he said wildly, trying to hold onto the leg; two large hands grab onto the collar of his shirt and yanked him up. Carl's feet left the ground.

"Your little sister is coming with us. She fits the specs completely. You better be glad there is no request for skinny gangly white boys with long hair or you would be coming with us too."

Blindly swinging out, Carl's fist connected with flesh; he swung again, only to find himself flying through the air. His back crashed into the glass doors of The Joy store. He landed unconscious just inside the entrance door.

Rick looked down at his vt-monitor which sat on the conference table in front of him, and swallowed down a yawn.

Judith had woken them up so early that morning and he didn't have the heart to tell his youngest child to go back to sleep, especially since she was so excited to see a new birthday.

Hell, he was excited for her to see one also. He had no idea how he was managing being a single parent of two kids. After Lori's death due to childbirth complications, Rick had no idea how he was going to do it all by himself. And he had to admit, he didn't have to; he had wonderful friends who were like family and they stepped in to help where they could.

Managing being a single parent to two wonderful, but active kids in addition to being the leader of the protective military group was hard at times. He had a lot of responsibility as he reported directly to the President of Alexandria. Finding the time to go to games, teacher parent conferences, and tiny tot ballerina plays, and making sure his kids ate, slept, did homework and stayed healthy, was a fulltime job in itself. Thankfully, his boss was an understanding lady and often suggested herself that Rick keep a home life balance.

Although he wished he could have spent the day with his kids, enjoying Judith's birthday together, this meeting was of the highest importance. An outside patrol group found a herd of at least three hundred dead walkers heading their way. This meeting was to discuss options on how they would protect the city. The city's head engineer was in the middle of describing ways they could fortify their walls when a priority call came through.

Deanna answered the call, annoyance, at being disturbed, dripping off every syllable. "Please tell me this interruption is necessary," she said to the caller who was on loudspeaker.

"Very, Madam President," the caller responded.

Rick perked up, that voice belonged to Shane, who was at the security headquarters monitoring the city.

"Shane, is there a problem?" Rick asked, knowing Shane would not knowingly interrupt a meeting of this magnitude as Rick had filled him in about its subject a few minutes before the meeting started.

There was a slight pause, "Yeah Team Lead, I am sorry but you need to get to the local hospital right away. Carl has been seriously hurt and…Judith has been kidnapped. I have shut the city down and we are actively looking for Judith's kidnapper right now."

Rick's world stopped. "Carl..Judith what?"

"Yes, Team Lead. You need to get to the local hospital. Carl was brought in with serious injuries, but he is alive and we are actively searching the area for Judith and her captors. I have a transport waiting for you outside of Madam President's home right now to take you to the hospital."

Rick didn't think he could move, but small hands moved across his back, pushing him up and out of his seat. He looked down in a haze to find Deanna's serious face, "Come, we have to get to the hospital," she said, pushing him toward the door. "We are on our way now. Send any and all word to us there." She called out to Shane.

"Yes, Madam President." Shane responded before ending the call.

Rick didn't think he could move without her assistance, his brain had stopped at _son injured and daughter kidnapped_. Deanna bundled him into the transport and sat beside him on the way there. His children were in danger, his son was in the hospital, and his daughter was kidnapped! The words stumbled through his head over and over, even as he got out the transport and followed Deanna down the hospital hallways. The world rushed back to him only when Carl's doctor met them outside of the surgery room.

"I'm Dr. Rosita Gomez, your son was brought in with a serious concussion, multiple contusions, and a laceration above his right eye. He's lost a lot of blood but we were able to stabilize him. We have hyper healed his contusions and the laceration, although there will be a slight scar. He needs to stay overnight so we can make sure concussion has no lasting damage, but he should be up and alert in a few hours."

"Can I see him?" Rick asked, focusing on the bright red pendant the doctor wore on her necklace.

"We are moving him to recovery. Once there, I will have a nurse come get you." The doctor responded.

Rick nodded and pinched the top of his nose, something he did when he tried to calm himself.

"Rick, that was good news." Deanna said laying a comforting hand on Ricks arm.

"Now we just need to find out where my daughter is," Rick responded, pulling the vt-monitor from his belt, he called Shane.

Shane's face came into view and Rick could tell he was on one of their open security hoverboards. Shane was moving fast as his hair whipped back in the wind; he turned toward the camera and they could see he held a power gun in his right hand.

"Did you find them?" Rick asked, hoping beyond hope that Shane had caught the bastards before they left the security of Alexandria lands.

"We are tracking them now, they are heading toward Yard 5. Three assailants, two men and one woman."

"Were you able to put eyes on Judith?" Rick asked.

"Negative. They are traveling on a rocked out hoverboards and are moving at exceptional pace. All three have a small trailer on the back, one of which we think could be holding her."

"She's still alive Rick," Deanna replied. She stood close to Rick as they both watched Shane in real time pursue his daughter's kidnappers.

"Rick, they wouldn't go through all this trouble just to kill her," Deanna added.

Rick could only nod in response as they continued to watch Shane and the rest of the security group chase the assailants across the green scenery of the outskirts of their large city.

There was a shrill whistle, and Rick immediately knew what that meant. The security team had made contact with the assailants and were now in hot pursuit.

With every fiber of his being, Rick wanted to leave the hospital and pursue his daughter captors himself, but he couldn't; he needed to be there for Carl when he woke up, so he watched helplessly as his team took on fire power from the assailants as they fought back.

"Remember to keep your power guns on stun only!" Shane called out as he ducked and weaved and returned fire, "My god daughter is on one those boards and we can't hurt her!"

Rick wished there was some way he could see what Shane was looking at, but knew Shane needed his hands to direct the hoverboard and return fire power.

There was a loud scream that came from Shane's left side. "Shit! We just lost Wilson!" he yelled, "Flank to their right!" He told one of the security teams to his right side, "I'm going in on the left, we'll try to box them in!"

 _Come on Shane! Get those sum bitches! Get my daughter back!_

The scene from the vt-monitor became blurry from there as Shane upped his speed. They could hear and see the bright streaks of green light as Shane and his team fought with the Judith's kidnappers.

Rick was not certain the security team had a chance with only using stun on their power guns and kidnappers using kill on theirs, but it was the only choice Shane had.

Suddenly they heard Shane say, "SHIT Rick!" and he came back into focus as it appeared he came to a stop.

"WHAT?" Rick yelled at the screen "What happened? Where's Judy?" Rick could faintly recall Deanna's nails pinching into his right forearm. They both held their breath as Shane turned his vt-monitor so his viewers could see what he was seeing. Deanna let out a loud scream as what they saw came into focus.

One of the captors held Judith upside down by one leg and beneath his baby girls was herd of dead walkers. Judith's eyes was closed and her mouth was open in a silent scream. Rick's stomach dropped. The herd went on for miles; it wasn't the one they discussed that morning in the meeting, but this was a large contingent.

The man who was holding Judith turned to Shane, his lower face was covered with a green bandanna "I don't think you want to keep pursuing us, now do you? Because if you do, I will drop this precious little bundle into this herd and they can have her for lunch."

"Rick?" Shane asked, he would do what needed to be done, but this had to be Rick's decision.

There was no choice, there was no way for Shane or anyone in their group to save Judith if this madman decided to let her drop into that herd.

"Let them go," Rick said. "Let them take her."

Michonne held herself as still as she could as rough hands grazed over her ass then her breast. Both were given a hard squeeze before she was finally released from the "security" check. She pasted a smile on her face before Negan's bodyguards finally opened the door to the auditorium. _Finally! Sasha has to be in here!_

Michonne had searched for two long months for her sister, gathering information from here and there that Sasha had joined Negan's gang. For the past three weeks, Michonne worked alongside Negan's servants, doing menial tasks while trying to locate her sister. She was finally able to gain the trust of one of Negan's men, an older man named Todd. He told her about Negan's multiple wives and how one sounded as though she fit Michonne's description of her sister.

Only "special" servants got to serve the wives of Negan. And it would take Michonne months to gain entry into the wives' compound. The quickest way was to request an audience with Negan, with hopes that he would hear her offer to become a new wife.

So Michonne did as Todd told her, she found the cheapest, sexiest lingerie and high heels, put both on and found Jeffrey, Negan's right-hand man and requested an audience with Negan. As humiliated as it was, strutting half naked in front of audience of ten men, her ass out and breasts barely covered, Michonne was determined to find her sister and get her the hell out of there.

Michonne had no fear of being raped while there, as Negan had a strict policy against that among his people. However, Michonne could argue that the women Negan chose to be his wives were being coerced into sex every night they had to join him in bed; that was a form of sexual assault itself. She kept a smile on her face as the Jeffrey and his cronies cat called and demanded she do the stupidest things like hop on one foot. After a couple of minutes of this, Jeffery finally called a stop to it.

"Come here," he demanded.

Michonne stepped closer. Once she was only a few feet away from him he, grabbed her face. Rubbing his finger along her cheek, he pulled it back and examined it. "Hmmm no make-up," he said, now closely eyeing her. "You one of those natural beauties, huh?"

Michonne didn't know how to answer that so she just shrugged.

"Negan likes natural beauties," Jeffrey spat, and Michonne tried not to gag at the halitosis breath that hit her right in the face. "Everything on you real?"

"Real?" Michonne replied, confused about the nature of this conversation.

"Yeah, for instance that ass of yours. It is spectacular!" The men behind Jeffrey laughed at his statement but he quickly held up a fist that silenced them.

"Yes… it's real."

Jeffrey continued to eyeball her as he walked around her, humming his appreciation. Michonne held herself still; she wanted to punch him in the balls and rip his throat out, but it would not get her closer to her goal that was finding her sister, who she knew was on the other side of that door.

"Not sure if Negan is an ass man, but he will definitely love everything else about you," Jeffrey said.

Michonne could barely contain her relief when the heavy metal doors opened to show an opulent room filled with sunlight and incense. Michonne stepped forth into the large auditorium filled with women of all sizes and ethnicities; each woman sat or lay upon large decorative pillows as servants ran about them, fulfilling their needs. Michonne quickly searched the large room for any sign of her sister before a large horn sounded. Jeffrey grabbed Michonne's arm bringing her to a stop. She noticed that all the wives stood up and faced a wooden door opposite of them.

The wooden door opened and in came Negan, or whom Michonne assumed was Negan, and behind him was, to Michonne's upmost relief, her sister Sasha. Negan wore dark jeans and a fancy floral shirt underneath a dark leather jacket. He was smaller than what Michonne thought; a gray beard and dark hair defined his face. She could not tell his eye color from where she stood, but she could tell he was a handsome man even though he was a monster. _Even Lucifer was beautiful to look at._

Michonne could see Sasha was dressed in short gold dress and golden stilettos, and she seemed to be arguing with Negan about something. Michonne was too far away to hear what exactly was being said but she could tell the body language it was not something Negan wanted to hear. He stopped in mid-stride and turned to Sasha, she said something else and he grabbed her around her throat.

Michonne instantly went into protection mode and started forward but Jeffrey jerked her back, just as she was getting ready to turn to punch Jeffery in the throat, she heard clapping coming from the women around her. She looked back to see Negan and Sasha lip locked in a passionate kiss. Michonne tried to hold down the miserly breakfast she had that morning.

 _What the fuck, Sasha? Have you lost your mind?_

Negan pulled away from Sasha, and tenderly caressed her face. Michonne tried to keep the look of shock and disgust off of her face. Taking Sasha's left hand in his, Negan led her to the one real seat in the room and took a seat. A throne.

 _Where the hell did they find that thing?_

Sasha sat at his feet and look up at him in adoration.

 _Please Sasha, please don't have fallen in love with this asshole! Please!_

Michonne felt Jeffery pushing her forward and she followed his lead. Keeping her eyes on Sasha, praying her sister would not out her once she recognized her. If she did, it would be all over, maybe for both of them.

"Sir, this young lady has requested your attention. She would like to be considered as a new wife for you."

Negan finally set his sights on Michonne, a wide grin spread across his face. He opened his arms wide and said, "Well bring her up here and let's see what she's got."

Michonne moved about five feet away from Negan. From the corner of her eye she could see her sister's eyes widen in realization.

"What is your name, my dear beauty?" Standing up from the throne Negan perused Michonne's exposed body.

"Maddy," she answered, using the name she had used since she became a servant at their compound.

"Maddy?" Negan said as he walked around her. Michonne silently pleaded with her sister to remain quiet. "Maddy is a sweet name," he continued, "Are you sweet?"

"Yes, I believe I am."

Negan sucked his teeth and stopped in front of her. He used one finger and trailed it across her collarbone. "With skin as soft as this, I'm sure you are."

"Let me ask you something?" he continued, his face only a couple of inches from hers. Michonne could now see his eyes were hazel. "Why do you want to be my wife? I mean besides the obvious. As a wife, you get some mighty perks, such as getting anything you want. You are pampered and the only thing you have to do is keep me happy when I request you."

"I guess I would like to make you happy," Michonne answered, not sure where the hell these answers were coming from. _It must be the crazy incense, but if it would help her get her sister back then she would say anything._ "I believe I can make you very happy."

Negan smiled, "That's what I like to hear." Just as he leaned in closer to kiss Michonne, she was pushed to the side.

"You keep away from him you bitch!" Sasha yelled. Negan grabbed Sasha around her waist before she could get any closer to Michonne.

"Baby!" he said doing his best to restrain an irate Sasha. "You know this is how this goes. There is no jealousy between the wives."

"She won't be your wife Negan!" Sasha spat, her eyes hardening on Michonne. "Because her name is not Maddy, it's Michonne. This is my sister."

Michonne couldn't believe it. Sasha has ratted her out. Negan's guards had begun to fill the room and surround them. Sasha had completely ruined Michonne's rescue plans.

"Your sister?" Negan said, the smile now gone. "The sister who killed about five of men and wounded several others? That sister?"

"Yes, her," Sasha answered; she had stopped struggling as they both stared at Michonne who was frozen in uncertainty.

 _Well I knew this would be a suicide mission. But I had to try._

Straightening her back and pulling her bra in place, Michonne lifted her chin and faced them both. "Yes, I am that Michonne."

To her surprise and everyone else in the room, Negan began to laugh. In between chortles, he managed to say, "I mean you have some balls on you lady! I mean big huge balls! Bigger than some of my men apparently!" Out of nowhere Negan pulled a gun out, the laughter had stopped and Michonne prepared herself to meet her maker. But when he fired the gun, the green light whizzed past her face and hit the person standing behind her.

Looking down, Michonne could see a burning hole where Jeffery's face had once been.

"Awww there, that's so much better," Negan said, pushing the handheld power gun into his pants.

Turning to Sasha, he took her hands into his. "Sasha my darling, you have done so much for me that I will allow you to make the decision on what we are to do with your sister."

"You don't want her as a wife anymore?" Sasha asked.

Negan turned to look at Michonne, "I mean she is very tempting but no. I wouldn't be able to trust her. I'd rather kill her and be done, but I did make the promise to you, that if we ever caught her I will let you dole out the punishment."

Sasha smiled, "Yes you did."

"What would like to do to her?" Negan asked.

"I would like you to iron her for me."

Michonne eyes widened in shock. She knew what the "iron" meant. Sasha meant that for her! Michonne couldn't believe it.

Negan smiled, "Anything for you sweetheart!" he answered, "Get the iron ready!" he called out to no one in particular.

"No!" Sasha said "Not on my birthday night! We'll do it tomorrow after breakfast. You promised me that this night will be all about me. Don't let her spoil it! She used to do it when we were kids! I won't let her do it now."

 _Her birthday? When we were kids? What the hell was she talking about?_

"And it will be!" Negan said, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "All about you."

"Dwight?" Negan called, a man with a ruined face stepped forward. "Put Michonne in one of the cells. We will take care of her in the morning."

Dwight grabbed Michonne and pulled her arms behind her back. There was no use in resisting as she could see no escape. Steel handcuffs closed in on her wrist before Dwight led her back across the room. Michonne could only stare back at her sister in disbelief, but Sasha was not paying attention as she and Negan made out in the middle of the floor.

After taking off the handcuffs Dwight shoved Michonne into a small dark room and shut the door behind her. Not able to see much, Michonne squatted down on the cold concrete floor. She couldn't believe it. Her foster sister had lost her mind! And the following day, Michonne's face would be ironed in front of Negan's loyal fan base.

She had been locked away for the longest time, and all the while she he racked her brain on the different ways she could fight her way out, but there was no way, not without help. _Well I can forget getting help from my sister. What else can you do Michonne? You got to get yourself out of here._

She was so deep in thought that it took a moment for her to realize when bright light filtered into the room. Michonne stood up quickly, her body creaked in response from sitting in the same position for hours. She balled her fist up in front of her. If they were going to take her it was going to be a fight.

"Michonne, it's me," Sasha whispered.

It took a moment for Michonne's eyes to adjust. "Sasha?"

"Yes, sis it's me."

Finally, Sasha came into focus: she wore a long nightgown and large bundle around her chest; in one hand she held a lantern.

"Sis?" Michonne said sarcastically.

"I know," Sasha replied continuing to whisper, crowding into the small cell and closing the door behind her. "I had to figure some way to get you away from Negan so I can get you out of here."

"Get me out of here?" Michonne responded, keeping her voice down also, "I'm supposed to be rescuing you."

Sasha smiled as she handed Michonne the lantern. "Here hold this," she said as began to undo the large bundle. "You won't be going anywhere dressed like that."

When a tiny head covered in brown curls appeared from under the bundle, Michonne eyes widened "What is that?"

Sasha pulled a sleeping little girl out. "I don't know her name but she was brought in a week ago. Negan has already sold her to the highest bidder, who will be here to pick her up tomorrow. So you have to take her with you tonight."

"Wait, Negan is trafficking little girls?" Disgust rolled off Michonne in waves. What had Sasha gotten herself into?

"Little girls and little boys." Sasha replied handing over the sleeping beauty to Michonne. She continued to pull out a light, white shirt, green pants, and some hiking boots. Once she unrolled the bundle, it turned out to be a long black jacket.

"Here put these on," Sasha said, taking the little girl from Michonne's arms. "You would have nightmares about the things I've seen here."

Michonne rushed to put on all the clothes Sasha had brought. "How do we get out of here?"

Sasha handed Michonne a vt-wristband. "Here put this on, it has a map on how to get out here. You should be able to slip past the guards in two locations. I made sure to get them liquored up for my birthday but you must move as quietly and quickly as possible."

Michonne shook her head, "That is the third time I heard you say YOU instead of us."

Sasha nodded, "I can't come with you."

"WHAT?"

Sasha pressed a hand against Michonne' mouth, "I can't go with you. I have to stay."

"No, that's not the plan."

"It has to be. I have to stay here. Before you say anything, listen. Negan killed Bob. Bob was the love of my life and he killed him with no remorse and no justice and he can't get away with that. I joined his group to kill him. I know you think it's sick that I even allow him to touch me, but I found out the first night I was with him what he was doing. What he was doing to these kids. And I thought I had to find a way to save them and take him down. But I couldn't do it myself. I needed help. Then I heard about you and the things you were doing to rescue me and so I put a plan in place. I made Negan promise me that I would be the one to punish you. That way I would have the upper hand on what to do," Sasha paused and stroked the sleeping girls face. When she next looked up she pointed to the wristband Michonne now sported on her left wrist. "The wristband is tuned to my biometrics, meaning you can now find me where ever Negan takes me. I've also uploaded all the data of the kids he has taken and his buyers. Don't ask me how I did it, it took a lot of time and effort and I had to do things I'd rather not discuss. You have to get this child back to her family and that information back to the authorities, so they have enough to stop him."

"I can do that Sash, but come with me. You can come with me right now," tears Michonne had held on so long now flowed freely down her face. She didn't want to leave her sister, her only family, with this monster.

Sasha shook her head, "I can't," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Tears now streamed down both of their faces. "If I leave, Negan would just go into hiding and the trafficking will just continue. He takes ME wherever he goes. So once you get help, you can come find me and truly save me."

"But what if he figures out that you helped me tonight and the fact you stole this little girl right from under him?"

A sad smile graced Sasha's face, "He won't suspect me because I have already placed the blame on someone else. Someone who won't be able to tell his side of the story."

"Aww, Sash what did you do?"

"Let's just say the poor doctor had a case of a good conscious, he could no longer stand what was happening to these children so he released you and gave you this child to save before he took his own life."

"Oh my God Sasha!"

"I said I had a plan," Sasha said solemnly, backing up to the door. "Now you've got to go, the sun will be up in few hours, and I have to slip back into Negan's bed before it does. The map in the wristband only gets you out of this compound. I couldn't map you back to the nearest sign of civilization."

Michonne had reattached the jacket as a bundle around her neck and placed the little girl in it. "Don't worry, I will figure it out. How long will she be knocked out?"

Sasha shrugged, "They keep the little ones drugged up, feeding them intravenously, less worry that way until their buyers show. This one has been here for about two weeks. I know her parents have to scared to death."

Michonne looked down at small little face and smiled, "I will do my best to find her parents. Don't worry."

"I won't," Sasha said as she led her sister out of the small cell, "You found me, didn't you?"

Sasha led Michonne to one of the out posts. Pulling Michonne into a tight hug, she whispered in her ear, "I love you. Thank you for coming to find me."

"I will always come to find you," Michonne said, pulling away from her sister.

"Oh," Sasha said, reaching over her shoulder, "I almost forgot this. I heard one the guys you fought with at the last compound was able to get this away from you."

It was Michonne's plasma katana. A grin filled her face as she held the weight of the handle in her hand; how she had missed it.

"I'm sorry it was the only weapon I could pilfer. Negan keeps a tight control of all the guns, he doesn't care about the plasma's though."

Michonne gave her sister another tight hug, both careful of the child sleeping on Michonne's chest.

"Be careful sister," Sasha said. "Once they figure you have escaped, they will send their full forces after you."

"What else is new?" Michonne said with more confidence than she felt. She had hidden from Negan and his people before, that wasn't the challenge for her. The problem now she had to do it with toddler on her back.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello Every one! Glad you like the first chapter! I am just overjoyed with encouragement and great feedback I have received. Keep the feedback coming! Here is the second chapter.

Another thanks' goes out to Siancore! You will see some of her handiwork in this chapter specifically the conversation between Shane and Rick. My version was more sterile, hers, as you will see, brings forth more warmth between the two friends. Testament to her skills as an author and teacher. I'm learning so much about this writing thing.

WARNING! There is physical abuse of Michonne in this chapter so please protect your minds, spirts and hearts.

Otherwise please enjoy! Hope to have another Chapter out to you soon.

Rick's eyes scanned the map Glenn had spread out on the makeshift table, the intricate red and blue lines blurred in front of him as a feeling of weariness tried to overtake him. He had tried to sleep but the thought of losing the only lead they had to find Judith, kept him up the night before. Actually, he didn't remember the last time he had had more than a few hours' sleep.

His mind was a constant battlefield of detailed plans of action and worry that he was on a fool's errand and his daughter was lost to him for good. Rick tried to will the desolation away and remain confident that they were on the right track to find his daughter. Every once in a while, one of his closest friends, Glenn, would shoot him a reassuring look. He was grateful for his friend's presence; not only for moral support, but because he was an expert tracker. Rick tried not to feel anything but confident that they were on the right track to find his daughter.

The day before, they had happened upon scene where it appeared a small battle had recently been fought. Two dismembered bodies laid strewn across the forest floor along with a crashed hoverboard, the hoverboard had an empty trailer attached to the back of it. They also found a set of footprints, which led away from the scene.

Rick didn't want to jump to conclusions but the hoverboard appeared similar to the one that Judith was kidnapped in but it was the only lead he and his small group had found in the past three weeks. They followed the footprints until the night made them too hard to spot and too dangerous to be follow.

By luck, his group had found this small cabin and dispatched the three zombies who still occupied the small space.

"Here drink this." Carol said, a prominent doctor in their community, handed him a mug filled with hot coffee.

"Thanks." He said, glad she decided to come along on this trip. She was good friend. They all were.

He looked around small cabin and the inhabitants who decided to drop everything they were doing to help him find his daughter. It warmed his heart that they were here and he knew they would stand by his side as long as he needed them to.

Glenn moved from cot to cot waking their occupants. They had to get an early start this morning, in hopes that they can find the trail again.

Carl woke with a start, he shot up in the cot once he was roused from his slumber; his long hair, disheveled from a restless night, stood up in different directions.

Tyrese, one of Rick's closest friends since high school, sat up silently and stretched before moving to break down the small cot he had slept on.

Maggie, Glenn's significate other, struggled as she rose; but once she did, Glenn pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Once everybody was up, Rick put a call into Shane, who he had to leave behind to protect their community.

"Update Shane?"

"None team lead, it's been quiet on our end," Shane replied as he stared bleary into his camera. For the past month Shane made sure to answer Ricks call at any time. He had made sure the security team was ready to move at a moment's notice. "Anything on your end?"

"We heard some gun shots late last night and was able to track down where the battle was coming from but once we got there it was too late. Whomever was fighting had moved on. But Glenn was able to pick up some tracks, we're waiting for the sun to come up so we can see if we can find them again."

Shane could hear the small glimmer of hope in his friend's voice. It had been a month since they set out in search of Judith, and each time Rick had reported back to Shane, it was always the same: A few leads here and there, but nothing concrete. It seemed they were still not any closer to discovering the child's whereabouts.

"Rick," said Shane. His tone was soft as he approached the next thing he would say with care. "It's been almost thirty days…"

"I know what you're thinking," Rick replied as the room stilled and its occupants waited for what their leader had to say further on the matter. "You think we're not going to find her."

Shane sighed, feeling guilty for having to be the one to broach the subject with Rick. Yet someone had to.

"No, that's not what I think," said Shane. "I want to know if _you_ think you'll find her."

"I will keep searching for her until my dying breath and if I can't find her I will find the ones who took her from me and make sure that they never do this to another parent again."

Shane nodded, "Understood Team Lead."

Rick ended the call with a "Team lead out."

The people in the room had begun to move about again. Rick sat at the table and sipped his coffee trying to ignore the negative voices in his head. Judith was alive and he was going to find her.

The small team left a few minutes after the sun rose. Following Glens lead, they were able to pick up the set of footprints they had found the previous day.

Glenn halted at a large tree, bending down he pointed to a foot print near the base of the tree. "Whomever it is, is smart. She is keeping close the tree line only allowing her feet in the moss and exposed tree limbs and not in the grass, where her footprints could settle and be tracked." Glenn pointed ahead, "She also doubled back a couple times to try to lose us or the men who are pursuing her."

"How do you know it's a woman?" Rick asked.

"The size of the foot print. I could be wrong, it could be a teenager or slender man but I do believe it's a woman."

"Why would those men be chasing a woman?" Maggie asked stepping up beside Rick. The others continued to watch their backs for any dangers.

"I don't know but whomever she is, I hope she could lead us to Judith."

"Let's keep going as it looks like the guys she was fighting last night are hot on her trail also." Glenn said picking up the pace as he scanned the ground, "She seems to be on her feet as the men who are chasing her are using hoverboards."

No sooner than words had passed from Glens mouth when they heard fire blasters coming about fifty feet in front of them.

Rick pulled out his gun, the others followed his lead. He ran forward and prayed today would be the day he got his daughter back.

After they exited a group of trees, Rick held his hand up to signal his group to stop. In front of them they found four hoverboards surrounding a black woman who stooped on the ground beneath them. The woman long dreadlocked hair fell into the dirt and obscured her face. Her frame seemed so small compared to the six men who surrounded her.

The men on the hoverboards, whipped what appeared to be bike chains down upon the woman's back. She didn't fight back, she just held her position. Rick couldn't even hear any screams as they rained down the steel chains down upon her.

The largest man, yelled "You will return her to us or we will beat you to death and take her from your dead body!"

"You'll have to take her from my dead body then you bastard!"

"Chonne no!"

The voice was muffled but it stopped Rick dead in his tracks. That was Judith!

"Judith!"

With a quick reflex the woman picked up Judith with one arm and in the other a bright green sword ejected from the woman's hand, she slammed the cold blade into the hoverboard to her left, then swiftly turned to the occupant to the hoverboard to her right, cutting off his right foot. Amputated foots hoverboard then swung into the other on his left, careening them both off and to the side clearing a large path. The woman saw her chance and took it; she ran! The bright green sword in one hand and Judith in the other.

By this time, Rick and his group had moved to meet her. He could now see Judith's brown curls as she held tightly to the woman, her face buried in the woman's neck.

 _Hold on baby! Daddies coming!_

Once the woman saw them she tried to divert and head the other way. She probably thought they were with idiots who were following her.

Bad idea though, as the forth hoverboard rider, used the opportunity to use the chain again, it slapped against the woman's back hard and sent her spiraling. She lost her grip on her katana as she used both hands to protect Judith in her fall. Rick grimaced as the woman went face first into the dry dirt. He could hear his companions use their guns to take down the last hoverboard rider but he kept going toward the one who was threatening the woman who was protecting his daughter.

The chain whipped out again, and this time it slipped around the woman's neck; using the leverage, the hoverboard rider pulled her up off the ground. Rick could see the rider was now dragging the woman toward the cliff while simultaneously choking her. The rider was going to drag the woman over, the problem was Judith still clung to the woman.

"Chonne!" Judith cried out as she tried her best to help uncurl the chain from around Michonne's neck.

"Judith!" Rick called out, "Let go! Judith let go!"

Rick fired upon the rider, hitting him right in the chest. It did nothing to stop the hoverboard from continuing on its quest even though the rider crumbled on its deck. The chain didn't loosen as the woman continued to be dragged along toward the edge of the cliff.

Rick ran as fast as he could, he was so close but Judith was still out of reach. He stretched for her "Judith let go!"

At the last second just as the woman went over the edge, he felt Judith small body slam into his chest. The woman at the last moment, unwrapped Judith's arms and legs from around her body and thrown her toward Rick.

Rick watched in horror as the woman's body fell over the mountains edge, the chain still around her neck.

"CHONNE!" Judith's screamed.

Rick wrapped Judith in his arms but she continued to scream "Chonne! Chonne!"

Rick tried to hush her and soothe her but Judith continued to struggle and scream. No matter what he did she would not even look at him. She continued to fight to get away. It wasn't until Carl caught up to them and called Judith's name did she stop struggling.

"Judes! Are you okay?" Carl asked. "Judes!"

It took a moment but Judith finally turned toward of her brother's voice, "Carl?" she called, fear and uncertainty lacing her voice.

Carl took Judith into his arms, "Yes, it's me Judes."

"Carl!" Judith cried, "They hurt Chonne Carl!" She was openly sobbing now "They hurt Chonne."

That's when Rick noticed the blood on his jacket sleeve. He pulled Judith out of Carls arms and searched her for wounds. She was hysterical but otherwise there was no wounds he could see.

Again, she wouldn't let him hold her, she struggled in his arms and that's when Rick felt it. His daughter held a glass blade and she had been stabbing his right arm with it. Carl was able to take it from her.

"Judes stop!" Carl yelled, "You're hurting dad."

"Daddy?"

"Yes Judes, Daddy."

Judy finally opened her eyes and stared up at her father's face. "Daddy, you have to help Chonne! You got to get herr!"

Rick was so grateful to have his daughter back in his arms again. He pressed kisses on her forehead and cheeks and tried to soothe her as she continued to cry out for the woman who had saved her life.

"We are already on it Judith." Maggie said calmly said, she now stood near the right of them at the edge of the cliff and stared down. "Carol and Glenn are trying to reach your friend Chonne now."

Rick had no hope that they would find the woman alive. There is no way she could have survived that drop.

"Rick!" Carol called from the bottom of the cliff.

"Yeah!" Rick called taking a tentative step toward the cliff, noticing that Judith was afraid, he handed her over to Carl. "Did you find her down there?"

"Yep and she's alive. She's critical but she's alive. I can hyper heal some of her superficial wounds but we have to get her back to the hospital if we want to save her." Carol called back up.

Rick used his wrist band and called Shane.

"Yes Team Lead."

"We got Judith." Rick responded, "But we need emergency transport to the hospital."

"We have your signal and sending transport to you now." Shane responded, "Is Judith alright?"

"Yeah, but it appears her savior isn't"

Michonne woke up slowly, her whole body hurt. All she wanted to do was go back into the dark pit but the pain was lulling her back towards the light.

She slowly opened her eyes and didn't recognize the room she was in. There were unfamiliar posters on the wall in front of her. She slowly turned her head and searched the room she was in. From the decoration it appeared she was in a kid's room, a boy's room, in fact.

She stilled when she heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Judes, she probably still asleep. Remember what Carol said. She said your friend has to sleep for a long time to recover from her injuries."

"But I know she's awake this time." Michonne recognized that precocious voice anywhere:Judith. A smile formed on Michonne's lips, she was happy the little girl was alive.

"Judes, come on let her sleep."

"Carl, please just let me check this one last time." Judith begged.

There was a pause then the older brother Judith had told Michonne so much about relented, "Oh okay just this one last time."

The door opened a fraction more and Michonne made sure to keep her tired eyes open and a smile on her face as Judith small face peaked into the room. Judith's eyes widened and smile lit up her face as she screamed, "SHE"S AWAKE! I TOLD YOU! CHONNE'S AWAKE!"

Michonne groaned as the little girl's loud voice filled the room. Judith ran to Michonne's side and quickly crawled into the bed with her. "Chonne, you're awake?" Judith asked this time quietly. Possibly remembering the rule of speaking softly and quietly while they were out in the wilderness hiding from men who thought to hurt them.

Michonne nodded and once she did, Judith buried her face into Michonne's neck and begun silently crying. Using her free arm Michonne gathered the little girl closer and tried to find her voice to comfort the little girl.

Carl stared at Michonne in disbelief before moving to the pitcher of water to pour Michonne a glass of water.

She could hear other footsteps as they entered the bedroom but she didn't move from comforting the little girl who clung to her.

Finally, Michonne was able to croak out a "Judes?" The name the little girl had insisted Michonne call her while they were out on their "adventure." Judith only buried her face deeper into Michonne's neck. Michonne took the time to search the faces of the people who surrounded her bedside. There was an older woman there with gray hair and serious blue eyes. She intently watched Michonne actions. Then there was a Asian man who held a friendly smile for her and young brown haired woman who smiled encouragingly. Michonne eyes caught Carl's who just held the glass water toward her.

"Here," he said. Handing the glass to Michonne,

Michonne gratefully took a deep drink of the cool water. She handed it back, "Thank you, Carl." At Carl's shocked expression she explained, "Judith told me all about her big brother on our adventure." Looking down at the child she held in her arms, she asked "Isn't that right Judes?"

That seemed to do the trick, Judith sat up, her tears forgotten, she graced Michonne with a big smile, "I did!" she sang out "But I also told you about my daddy."

That's when Michonne's eyes connected to the bluest eyes she had ever seen before. All at once the room grew smaller, and wetness pooled between her legs. A feeling of want, lust, and desperation hit her all at once. Michonne let out a gasp in surprise. Even though her body betrayed her as she tried to sit up, "You?" she addressed to the blue-eyed stranger, pain slammed into her side at her movements but it did nothing to stop the effects of the Indluvu.

Her breathing changed and it was like she was viewing everything in red prism, everything but him, he was graced in a cool white light. She felt that if she could just get to him, he could cool this fire that was overwhelming her.

She took in her match, and his blue denim shirt and dark jeans, the low-cut beard that surrounded very kissable lips, the dark hair curled at his neck. The only thing Michonne could think about was how those lips and beard was going to feel between her legs. She tried to raise herself from her bed so she could go to him but her entire body hurt. She groaned in frustration as she tried to make her body move.

It took only a few seconds for everyone in the room to feel the change in atmosphere and Carol swung into action. She pulled Judith off of the bed and handed her to Maggie and reached into her medical bag. "Maggie, take Judith to her room."

Pulling out a syringe Carol headed toward Rick, who looked like he was going to take a leap onto the bed _and_ the undulating woman.

"Glenn! Carl! Grab him before he causes anymore damage to her!" Carl was surprised to see a total change take over his father. Rick looked almost possessed, with a total singular objective: to have woman in Carl's bed. Carl and Glenn did what they could to pull Ricks back and away from 'Chonne', as Judith called her.

As soon as Carl, with Glenn's help, stopped his approach toward woman, his father began fighting them. He threw a shocked Carl to the ground and landed a solid punch to Glenn's face, Glenn recovered and launched himself at Ricks back just as Rick was about to crawl into the bed.

Hauling a growling Rick back with the help of Carl, they pulled he away by his waist holding him a few feet away from the bed. Carl got up and grabbed his father by the neck and tried to push him back. They held him just long enough for Carol to inject something into Ricks right arm.

She then rushed to Michonne's side and did the same thing.

"Mine," Rick growled dragging Glenn and his son toward the bed. His eyes never wavered from the occupant. "Mine." He said again.

"Yes, Rick, she is yours but you have to leave her to heal right now," Carol answered. "You would never forgive yourself, or me, if we let you hurt her."

"I would not hurt," Rick voice only deepened as he continued, "I would love."

Rick couldn't think clearly. A part of his conscious mind understood that he was acting out of character but he couldn't focus on anything other than the woman in his son's bed. And how much he needed to feel those luscious lips on his, to drag his tongue across her dark skin, feel her sheathed around his hardness as he buried himself inside her again and again. The front of his jeans felt so tight but he didn't dare reach down to adjust himself as he only wanted her to touch him.

Damn! Her smell alone was driving him crazy, she smelled liked brown sugar and spice. He wanted bury his face between her long legs and just breathe her in. He made to move toward her again but Glenn and Carl held him steady.

"I'm not sure in this state of mind you would know what you would do to her," Carol answered "You will have to wait until she heals."

"How long?" Rick asked his words slurred as if his brain was struggling to find the words.

"Maybe two weeks." Carol replied.

"No!" Michonne said from the bed, her legs rubbed together under the sheets as she tried to find some release, she still wanted the stranger who stood only a few feet from her. He could give her release. She knew he could. "Too long!" She moaned.

"Yes, too long!" Rick agreed taking another step toward the bed, pulling Glenn and Carl along with him.

"Stop Rick!" Carol said holding her hand out. "The inhibitor I injected into both should clear your minds so you can think for yourselves. Rick look at her! She's injured! She has two cracked ribs, and a fractured tailbone. She can barely move! If you take her in this state, you will surely maim her for life. Is that what you want?"

"I don't care," Michonne moaned as she thrashed upon the bed as the wetness between her legs intensified. She groaned in agony and twisted on the bed. "I want him! I want Rick."

Everyone ignored the growl that emanated from Rick at the sound of his name coming from her mouth.

"Oh my god!What the hell is happening to me?" Michonne wailed in a moment of clarity; her whole body was wracked in pain but all she could think about satisfying this need that throbbed between her thighs.

Carol checked Michonne's heart rate. "The pain medicine you are on might be hindering the inhibitor I gave you. I might need to give you another dose. But just to be safe I wait rather wait a couple of hours."

"Rick, you should be feeling the effects of the inhibitor." Carol said looking toward her friend. She hoped the inhibitor would work rather quickly, as it did not seem that Carl or Glenn would be able to win this battle if it came down to it, they were barely holding Rick back as it is.

To everyone's relief after a few minutes of struggling, Rick started to calm down. Not sure if he should let go of the grip he had on his father, Carl said "Dad?"

"Yeah son." Came a hoarse reply, Ricks breathing was labored as his heart continued to race. But the red haze had lifted some. He still wanted the woman who lay in his son's bed but he was able to think clearly. He couldn't believe he acted like a madman in front of his friends and family over a woman, a stranger at that.

Glenn and Carl cautiously released him but continued to block his path to 'Chonne'. Rick took a few deep breaths and took a few steps back hoping that giving himself some space. He didn't trust himself to get any closer to her. She still writhed upon the bed and he could still smell her. Groaning he turned away from them and pressed his forehead against the cool surface of the wall.

 _Get it together Rick! You can't have her. You can't touch her. You would hurt her if you tried. You don't want to hurt her._

Rick took several deep breaths before he felt he could speak again. The tightness in front of his pants hadn't lessoned at all but he didn't feel like a crazed maniac any more.

"What the hell happened?" he asked.

"Indlovu." Carol calmly stated.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone! Thank you all for your positive reviews! This story has been a joy to write! You will find that this chapter is shorter than the others, I promise it's because I working on Chapter 4 already and didn't want you guys to wait long for the next update. I've heard your request for the tagging, and I am working on it. I'm new to this fanfiction thing, so thanks for your patience. Again, a BIG SHOUT OUT to Siancore, she has been my biggest cheerleader and greatest helper. As the beta reader for this series you will see her peppered throughout this story. Without her encouragement and assistance, I would not have posted my little fanfiction, I would have locked it away. Okay, back to the story, I hope you all like it! More to come, I promise!

Michonne watched Rick Grimes as he turned away from everyone in the room. She could understand his need to seek some semblance of sanity; she, herself, was not afforded such an opportunity. The inhibitor Carol gave them seemed to be working on him, but Michonne still felt as if she was on fire.

The intense want had not dissipated. She was wet, she could feel it between her legs, she was soaking wet. Her heart rate had not slowed. Her breathing was tempered. Her body was betraying her and there was nothing she could do about it. She wanted to relieve this tension herself but knew it would do no good. She would need him to do it. She would need him to slake this need.

 _FUCK! What have I gotten myself into? I was just supposed to deliver the child to her parents and return to save my sister. Now, all I can think about is how many orgasms I can have with a total stranger._

 _No! Get yourself under control, Michonne. You have to get out of this bed sooner rather than later. You have to save your sister. She's counting on you!_

Caught up in her own thoughts Michonne almost missed Rick's question.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, still not bothering to turn around.

"Indlovu," Carol replied calmly, going back to her medical bag. Pulling out her medical sensor, a cylindrical mechanism no bigger than a microphone, she used it to take Michonne vitals.

"Indlovu?" Michonne asked, finally able to drag her eyes away from Ricks denimed backside, "I thought that was a myth."

"No," Carol answered as she walked around the twin bed, holding the sensor above Michonne's body as she did so, "Many people believe it's a myth because it's a rarity to find a Indlovu couple. I tell my patients they should seek love in the natural way instead of waiting on the virus to pick the one for them. With so many of our world's population being wiped out and turned into zombies, your potential match may now be a walking dead."

Cutting her eyes back over to Rick, Michonne asked, "If it's such a rarity, why are you walking around with an inhibitor?"

"As rare as it is, we actually have had instances of couples finding each other by Indlovu. About five years ago, our friend Shane found his wife through the virus, they were our communities first Indlovu couple," Carol explained as she circled the opposite way around Michonne, making sure to keep the sensor high.

"Two weeks ago, I was notified of our second Indlovu couple. They want to get married," Carol chuckled as she fiddled with the sensor, "As you and Rick are finding, it is hard to think and act normal while this virus runs rampant in your system. They asked if I had something which would help them make it through the ceremony."

"So, she and my father have to get married?" Carl asked. They barely knew this woman! Sure, she had saved Judith, Carl will always be grateful for that but for his father to marry her… that would be crazy!

"No!" Michonne and Ricks combined voice's echoed off the bedroom walls.

"I can't marry anyone, I have somewhere to be," Michonne continued, the haze she was under had lifted somewhat, the inhibitor was finally kicking in, "How soon can you get me out of this bed?"

"Where do you have to be?" Rick had finally turned from the wall, his blue eyes flashed toward Michonne but he didn't make a move toward her, to Glenn's relief.

As hard as it was, Michonne was able to pull her gaze away from his. Silently thanking God for small favors, she asked Carol again, "How soon can you get me out of this bed?"

Carol shook her head, "I've already told you that it would be about two weeks for you to have full recovery."

"Where do you have to be?" Rick asked again, this time Michonne couldn't ignore the steel edge to his voice. The wetness only intensified between her legs at the sound of his voice.

She held up a shaking hand in his direction. "Shut up," she demanded.

Rick's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Carl, Glenn and Carol only stared at her in shock.

Gesturing to her covered body, "Whenever you talk my body…I'm having a hard time with the sound of your voice. So, if you could just shut up, I can think, please. I can… explain where and why I need to leave here as soon as possible."

Rick stared at the beautiful woman, who now occupied his sons bed. Her long dreadlocks, hung loose around her shoulders, the blue gown she wore hid the rest of her rich brown skin from his vision, but his imagination was running rampant at the moment. Every piece of his DNA cried out to tempt her, to use his voice again, as he wanted an up close and personal view of how his voice affected her. The inhibitor was working but he still felt this senseless, strong desire for her. Rick could see how much pain she was in and he had just promised himself that he would not to hurt her. Nodding in acquiesce, he folded his arms in front of him and leaned back against the wall.

Michonne let out a sigh of relief as she dropped her head back to the pillow. She grimaced as a slight pain ran up her back. Rick tried to hold himself still at this sight. He wanted to run to her and comfort her, but instead he internally chastised himself for having such a strong connection to a complete stranger.

"Chonne," Carol asked, "Are you in pain?"

"First of all, my name is Michonne," Michonne answered, "Judith nicknamed me."

"She does that to people she likes," Carl said.

"Second?" Glenn asked. This day had turned out to be more interesting than he thought. He knew he had to make sure to remember every word and action to report back to his wife.

"Second," Michonne sighed, "I wasn't the one who saved your daughter, my sister Sasha did. She risked her life to do so and I have to get back to her before what she did is found out and she's killed."

"Do you know who kidnapped Judith?" Glenn asked.

"Yes," Michonne answered, "His name is Negan. And he is a true son of a bitch. Calling him evil, does not come close to describing who he is and what he does." Michonne's voice trailed off; she was tired and every piece of body that did not throb in response of the man who stood against the wall, hurt. She had to continue; Rick deserved to know the truth and she needed him to understand why she couldn't stay. She had already spied her clothes and sister's wrist band sitting on Carl's desk.

"He had sold your daughter to highest bidder, before my sister was able to save Judith."

"Sold her?" Forgetting his promise, Rick took a couple of step toward Michonne, "What do you mean, sold her?"

"From what I was able to gather from the data my sister was able to confiscate, Negan's group is into human sex trafficking."

"He was going to sell my little sister as a sex slave?" Carl's voice cracked with emotion.

"Yes," it made Michonne sick that she had to deliver this news. She had hoped she would be able to return the child to her family safe and sound without providing this bit of information, but the circumstances required her to. "The data suggest all his trades involve young children."

"Did someone touch my daughter?" The steel edge was back in Rick's voice, anger had replaced desire.

Michonne quickly shook her head, "No, my sister told me that they keep the children in a medically induced coma until their buyers come to pick them up. Judith did not wake up fully until the second day of our travels."

"Rick, I checked Judith over when we got her back and she had no sign of physical trauma," Carol said, hoping to diffuse the situation. She had not seen this side of Rick in ten years; that Rick kept them all safe and led them out of a destroyed world and back to civilization. That Rick would kill anyone who thought to hurt his family.

"Where is this Negan?" Rick asked, he understood that his daughter was physically safe, now but he still wanted to kill the men who took her. He wanted to make sure they never thought about coming to Alexandria again.

Michonne took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, looking up at Carol she asked again, "How soon can you have me out of this bed?"

"Michonne?"

Michonne moaned at the sound of her name leaving Ricks mouth. He ignored it, "Michonne, tell me where we can find Negan."

Michonne stubbornly shook her head no, "I am only giving that information to the head of your security force. Not an angry father bent on revenge. Anger gets you killed."

Carl opened his mouth to speak but Rick held up a hand to stop him.

"You would be willing to tell this information to Alexandria's head of security?" Rick asked her.

"Yes!" she yelled, "Please shut up." She begged covering her ears, his voice was driving her insane. Just as she thought she could control her body, his voice reminded her that she had no longer had control over it, he did.

Rick nodded to Carl.

"My dad is the head of Alexandria's security."

"Wait!" Lowering her hands Michonne thought she hadn't heard what the young boy said correctly, "What?"

"I said, my dad is the head of Alexandria's security."

Michonne took the chance and looked into Ricks eyes again, "You're Rick Grimes? _The_ Rick Grimes?"

Rick nodded, he could only imagine what stories she had heard about him. He waved his hand at her to continue.

Michonne shook her head, deciding to switch tactics. "I will tell you what you need to know, just as soon as SHE fixes me." Michonne turned her head toward Carol. "Can you fix me? Can you get me up and out this bed so I can go save my sister?"

Carol looked at Rick for his confirmation, once he nodded, she turned back to her patient. "Yes, we have a hyper chamber. It will be able to mend your bones so you could be on your feet in a couple hours."

Michonne quickly agreed. "Then let's do that." When she tried to lift her body off of the bed, Carol placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"You don't understand," Carol said, "The reason why we don't use the hyper chamber is because there is no way we could give you any pain medication. You lie there wide awake as a computer sends impulses to your broken bones to knit them back together. The procedure is beyond painful, we have history of people dying during the procedure from the pain alone. Your injuries are severe. Do you really want to risk that?"

With no hesitation Michonne nodded, "Yes," she said, "I have to. I have to save my sister." Rick's admiration for Michonne grew. She reminded him of himself; she too, would risk everything to help save her family.

"I will have to prepare the chamber, that will take a couple hours," Carol sighed, "Since its already late, we will do the procedure in the morning."

"Why not tonight?" Michonne asked. She wanted to get back on road as soon as possible.

"Because you need to gather all the strength you have tonight," Carol answered. She looked over at Rick, "Rick, do you have an extra v.t. monitor?"

Carl went to his desk that sat under the window in his room and pulled out another v.t. monitor and handed it to Carol.

Carol turned it on and punched a couple of numbers into it; Rick's wristband beeped. He looked down at it and then up at Carol in confusion.

"Answer it," Carol demanded, as she set the monitor up to hover above Michonne's face.

Rick hit the answer button, and Michonne's face flooded his screen. And on Michonne's monitor she could only see his face.

"What is this?" Michonne asked.

"You need rest," Carol answered packing up her medical bag, "You won't get any with Rick in this room."

Michonne pointed up at book sized screen that hovered silently over her head. "But why do we need the monitors?"

"The virus won't allow you to NOT be in each other's presence. Until it runs its course, you both will need to be, if not physical, visual contact at all times. If you don't, it will cause you both physical and mental pain."

"Doesn't the inhibitor help with that?" Glenn asked, he and Maggie had fallen in love the natural way. He couldn't imagine his life without her, but the Indlovu virus was complicated and interesting at the same time.

"The inhibitor tamps down the strength of the desire," Carol respond, "It doesn't cure you. I will need to give you both another dose first thing tomorrow morning. Call me, if you feel like it is wearing off before then." Pointing at Rick she said, "Rick, the only communication you should have with this woman tonight is via that monitor. Do you understand?"

Rick nodded, now that his anger had cooled, the desire was back. He stared hungrily at his screen, taking in Michonne's soft features and plump lips. Carol had to tug him out of the room; once they were in the hallway, she called for Carl to walk his father to his bedroom.

"Make sure he stays there," Carol called after their retreating backs.

Glenn exited the room shortly afterwards, and closing the door behind him he asked, "Do you think we should call some security guys to come and guard her door for the night?"

Carol shook her head, "No, I don't believe Rick would want anyone except family around Michonne. The virus can cause spikes in jealousy."

Pointing over his shoulder, "Do you want me to stay?"

"No," Carol answered, "I believe Rick has enough control of his body that he won't touch her tonight. Now once she's healed, there might be a different story."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hello Everyone! Please forgive me for the delay in posting, I lost the original Chapter 4 and I had to re-write from memory AND life and work has gotten in the way. For the people who have reached out to me personally to ask for an update, Thank you for being patient with me. I was going to wait and just finish out the story but received some encouraging words from friend, I decided to just to post what I have. I hope you guys enjoy and promise not to wait so long for the next chapter.

Rick couldn't take his eyes off the screen in front of him. Subconsciously he realized that he stood in the middle of his bedroom alone, Carl had left him there some time ago. He couldn't seem to do anything but stare hungrily at the monitor, wanting nothing more but to walk back down the hall and into his son's room and put out this flame of desire that was overtaking every fiber of his being.

He wanted to say something, anything to the enticing woman whose face filled his vt screen, but he remembered her words from earlier. _I can't think when you speak._ He also saw how much pain she was in and he didn't want to be a part of causing her more.

But when she licked her bottom lip, the sight of her pink tongue tasting something he wanted to devour caused a moan to erupt somewhere from deep inside him.

Rick wiped a hand down his face. He didn't know how they were going to do this. The inhibitor helped some, but he still craved the beautiful stranger.

"Talk," her voice was a slight whisper.

Surprised his blue eyes instantly connected to her deep brown ones, "What?" he asked.

She cleared her throat and said again, "Talk or it's going to be a long night of us just staring at each other."

"I thought my voice caused you…" he didn't know how to finish that sentence.

"Intense lust?" she asked. Rick could hear the laughter in her voice.

A smile curved his lips, "Yeah, something like that?"

Her small smile disappeared as she bit her bottom lip, a look of reflection crossed her features, "It's not as bad as when you're in my presence," she said, her eyes traveling to his lips then back to his eyes, "But the effect is still there."

"My turn to ask for something," Rick said, abruptly changing the subject, his voice had dropped to lower octave and Michonne could feel her lower body respond to it.

"Yes" she answered, her voice small, slightly worried. She was not sure if this man, was to ask her to jump from the highest building, in the state that she was in, if she wouldn't do it.

"Please stop biting your lip."

A surprised gasp escaped her lips, "Biting my lip?"

"Yes," he said, "I can't explain it, but I don't want anything touching your lips but mine right now. And your teeth and tongue are making me extremely jealous. I know I sound like a crazy person but it's how I feel."

"Oh…okay I'll try." She answered. Michonne was deeply grateful for her darker skin tone at this moment, because being any fairer he would see her blush intensely.

Silence filled the space once again as they stared deeply at each other.

 _Rick focus! She has information you need. Information that will help you catch the men who thought to hurt your daughter._

"So, after you're fixed up…"

"We can't have sex, Rick!" she blurted out and at his confused expression she continued, "I mean…I have to save my sister. She's my priority."

Rick nodded in understanding, "After you're fixed up, we will leave immediately to find Negan and put him down."

"Put him down?"

"Yeah, like with any rabid dog," he responded, his blue eyes turned cold, his face hardened in seriousness which proved the stories Michonne had heard about the famous Rick Grimes were true. A shiver ran down her spine and additional heat flared in her nether regions.

Were there no "safe" topics they could talk about without causing her to picture herself sitting on his face?

At her silence, Rick asked "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No Rick, I don't have a problem."

The sincerity in her voice made the ire in his belly to cool. He would find this Negan and he will kill him for hurting his son and kidnapping his daughter. He will also do all in his power to reunite Michonne with her sister, he owed them both for bringing his daughter back to him. There was no doubt about that. But after that task is done, this thing between he and Michonne will need to be dealt with.

He just was not sure how it would end, after the thirty days, would they both walk away from each other. Satisfied, but still strangers? Or would there be something deeper there?

Shane and Andrea came to mind. Shane had been the ultimate bachelor, ladies lined up for a chance to spend time with him. Many had done their best to pin him down, but Shane was determined to maintain his single lifestyle.

But one day his eyes connected to the new resident of Alexandria and that was all you wrote. The confirmed bachelor had turned into happily married man all in a span of two months.

Rick never seemed to have time to consider dating and bringing someone new into his family dynamic. He was too busy being a single father and as the head of Alexandria security force, his schedule was never conducive to dating. Not that he never received propositions, but ever since his wife died in child birth with Judith, that part of his life had stalled. If he wasn't at work, he was at home or at whatever activity his kids were a part of.

Now as he hungrily stared at Michonne, he realized just how much he had missed out on. He had noticed when they brought her unconscious body into his house, that she was strikingly beautiful, but his sense of duty had taken over. That is, until her eyes connected with his.

At this moment her lips were his favorite part of her body. Were they as soft as they appeared?

"Rick, did you hear what I just said?"

No. No he had not. He was too deep in thoughts about the different ways those lips could bring him to…

"Rick!" she said his name more forcibly this time.

Rick shook his head to clear it, they were going to set off after some bad guys in the next couple of days if all went well with Michonne's surgery, they had to figure out a way to push past this attraction and focus.

His blue eyes connected once again to her brown ones, whatever she saw in his eyes caused her to moan and Rick was striding toward his bedroom door in response. He needed to hear that moan again but this time in person.

"RICK STOP!"

Her scream stopped him in his tracks, no it more like the fear in her voice. His eyes landed back on hers, this time they showed no desire only worry.

Her lips trembled as she said repeatedly, "We can't...I'm sorry…but we can't."

The sign of her distress almost brought him to his knees. He took a step back, "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed "I'm so sorry Michonne. I'm not coming." His voice hitched at the sight of her tears. God what was this Indlovu virus doing to them?

His intent was not to hurt her but all of that went out the window with the sound of her moan. "Sorry!" he said again.

Michonne wiped the tears away, she was a wreak, physically and mentally and now she was crying in frustration. "No, I'm sorry!" she responded, "I'm usually not this emotional." A light chuckle escapes her lips, "Matter of fact, I haven't cried since I was a little girl."

Rick backed up and blindly took a seat on his bed, not taking his eyes off the woman in front of him. Her smile although small had taken his breath away. GET IT TOGETHER RICK! He shook his head to try to clear it.

"What caused you to cry when you were a little girl?" he asked, trying to take his mind off the fact she was only down the hall from him.

"What?"

"You said you hadn't cried since you were a little girl," clearing his throat, he repeated, "What did you cry about?"

"My dad died," she answered "A few years before we traveled to this world. My mother thought that moving here would be a new start. She passed a couple of years before this world turned on its head."

"So, it was just you and your sister then?"

At her confused look, Rick continued "It was just you and your sister Sasha after your mother passed away."

Michonne shook her head, "No, I met Sasha after this world turned to hell, we became fast friends, then we became family. For years it was just she and I out there trying to survive on our own. We became damn good at it. I can't tell you how many times Sasha has saved my neck and I hers. It was a long time before we allowed anyone into our family. But when we did, we chose very carefully, two guys, Bob and Daryl. Sasha and Bob fell for each other instantly."

"Indluvu?" Rick asked, loving how her lips formed her words. He had somehow positioned himself comfortably across his bed as he looked up at the vt monitor.

Michonne shook her head and smiled, "No, it was the natural way. Not this chemical induced one that you and I are going through right now."

Something about how she said, "chemical induced" gave Rick pause but he decided to ignore it and listen to the rest of her story.

"It was fascinating to watch, they were always touching and kissing. Bob could make Sasha smile and laugh like nobody's business. She was happy, happier than I had ever seen her. She deserved it, especially after all that we have been through. We even found a home at the small community camp, which was relatively safe. But we were all required to go out and search for food and supplies. Bob, Sasha and Daryl had made a run together while I pulled guard duty," Her voice trailed off and her brightness in her eyes dimmed some before she continued on, "And when they didn't return that night, I didn't worry. Those three were some of the best warriors I had ever run across in this new world. I waited couple more nights before I went searching for them. But I was too late, Bob was…Bob was dead, and Daryl was significantly injured and Sasha, Sasha was just gone." The pain in her voice was palpable.

Rick understood her pain as he had suffered many losses of his own rag tag family on their search for a safe place, a home. But before he could form his lips to offer his condolences Michonne continued, her voice shook, in unchecked emotion.

"On the way back to camp, they came across a family, a father, mother and daughter who was no more than eight or nine. They had made the decision to invite the family back to our camp. A few hours later their small group were ambushed by a group of men who called themselves The Saviors, demanded that my friends give up the little girl. It seems they had been tracking the little girl and her family for a while. No reason, no justification, they just wanted her. My friends all fought bravely alongside the girl's parents but soon they were overrun by even more men. Daryl said he thought it was at least fifty of these Saviors who came out of the woods to surround them. There were too many to fight back. Their weapons were confiscated, and they were all lined up on their knees with guns held to back of each of their heads. When the leader of the group showed up, Negan he called himself. Daryl said this Negan guy then asked the family way to allow him to take their daughter. "

"Asked?" the sound of disgust filled Ricks voice.

"Yeah, asked," Michonne answered, "Daryl said Negan talked as if he was asking the parents for their eight -years-old hand in marriage. But when both parent refused, Negan told one of his goons to take the girl anyway. And once she was out of sight, Negan turned to her parents and told them he had done them a favor. When the father asked Negan what favor was that? Negan replied with she doesn't have to see you die. Negan raised the baseball bat and bashed both their heads in."

Rick reared back in shock, he hadn't expected the turn of events. This Negan person was a madman.

"Negan then turned to my friends and that is when he noticed Sasha. He took an instant liking to her and he demanded that she come with him," Michonne paused before continuing; angrily wiping away tears, "And she agreed."

"What?" Rick asked, "Why?"

"She was in love with Bob," Michonne took a deep breath before her eyes met Ricks again, she was back in control, the sadness he had saw in her face earlier had disappeared, "She did it, so Negan wouldn't kill Bob or Daryl. But both men refused to let her be taken, and Bob was killed in front of her the same way the poor girls' parents were. And as they dragged my sister away, Negan's men started in on Daryl. He was barely alive when I found him. I was able to get him back to camp but since we didn't have a doctor onsite or many medical supplies, we were lucky Daryl survived at all. His body was so bruised and broken. It took three weeks for him to wake up from the coma he was in. And four days for him to able to form the words to tell me what happened and all that time I had no idea if my sister was still alive or what she was going through," Michonne's voice hardened as she continued, "But now I know. She is doing what she feels she must do to stop Negan and his people from ever terrorizing or killing anyone ever again. This's why I can't allow anything to get in the way of me saving her."

"I'm going to help you do just that."

"Rick, you don't have to do this. I found my sister once on my own. I can find her again."

"It's not like I don't owe you and your sister for helping to save my daughter from whatever horror story Negan had planned for her and it appears I can't go a second without you being in my line of sight." Rick added, his eyes twinkled with mischief as he added, "Which makes it harder to take bathroom breaks."

"Oh! I didn't think about that!" Michonne exclaimed, her eyes widened with realization "Do you need to use the bathroom? If you do, I'm sure I'll be fine for a few minutes."

A smile brightened Ricks face, "No, Michonne I'm good."

"Are you sure?" She asked again, unintentionally biting her bottom lip again.

Rick let out a small growl as he sat up in his bed, the vt monitor motor whirred loudly as it moved to keep the required hovering distance.

"You're doing it again."

Confused Michonne asked, "What am I doing?"

"Tasting something that belongs to me."

"What are we going to do?" she asked, frustration dripping off every word "How are we going to be able to save my sister and keep our hands off each other? I cool down a bit and then you say something, or look at me a certain way and all I want to do is…" Her voice trailed off, afraid that if she gave a name to the way she was feeling it would only cause the fire she was barely controlling, to boil over.

It took everything in Rick not to follow her line of conversation, he closed his eyes to gain a moment of levity. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he willed his lower extremity to calm down.

"Why are you single?"

His eyes shot open, when his blue eyes met her brown ones, Michonne could not help but become mesmerized by them, so she wasn't surprised when she didn't hear his response.

"Hmmm, what did you just say?" she asked, once she was able to clear her head.

Rick reclined back on his bed, the moment of lust had passed, "I'm single because I choose to put my energy in my kids and my job."

Michonne held her head to the side as she looked at him suspiciously "How long have you and your family been in this safe zone?" she asked.

Rick shrugged, "About five years, why?"

"And you mean to say, you haven't had your itch scratched in five years?"

Rick could feel his face heat up at her line of questioning "I mean, I've had moments."

"Moments?"

"Yeah, I call them moments since they did not turn into anything substantial." How did they get on the subject of his non- existent love life?

Rick nervously rubbed the back of his head, "What about you? Why are you still single?"

"Who has time to date when you are constantly on survival mode?"

"Well your sister found it."

"Yeah, but look what happened?" Michonne said, sadness once again settling on her features and entering her voice, "The person she gave her heart to, was taken away from her."

"Does that mean you shouldn't be open to it?"

"Why open yourself up to a chance of ultimately being hurt?"

"So, you've never been in love?"

Michonne shrugged, "No, I don't believe I have. I don't think this world has allowed me to."

Seeing an opportunity to bring up something that has been on his mind, "What do you think will happen after this virus has had it chance to run its course?"

"I hope we walk away from each other as friends."

"Friends only huh?"

Michonne's brow furrowed as she asked, "Are you looking for more Rick?"

It was his turn to shrug, "I know I'm excited about getting to know you better and seeing where it goes."

"Be careful, Rick," she said over a wide yawn "Don't confuse this virus with true feelings."

"Michonne, I think we should talk about the possibility," but before he could finish his sentence she interrupted him.

"Rick, I'm sorry to be rude but can we pick this conversation back up tomorrow?" She asked as she used a hand to cover up a yawn.

"Sure," he said, suddenly feeling bad for keeping her awake, she was still healing from her injuries and she would need all her strength for treatment Carol had planned for her tomorrow.

Michonne closed her eyes and Rick watched her for a short while admiring her beauty. He was embarrassed when her eyes opened tiredly, and she stared silently back at him. "Rick?"

"Yes," he answered, a blush creeping up his neck and pinking his ears.

"Go to sleep," she ordered, her eyes closing once again.

"Will do."

And to his surprise he did.

A soft knocking sound drew Rick out of his sleep. His eyes opened slowly as he stretched across his bed. Morning sunlight streamed through his bedroom window. He sat up and bumped his head against the still hovering vt monitor, which had gone into sleep mode to save its battery. The black screen immediately sent him into panic mode, Michonne! He stood up and strode toward his closed bedroom door.

Snatching the door open, he was shocked to find Carol standing outside his door, she didn't greet him or try to explain why she was there, she only plunged the hypo spray filled with the inhibitor into his right shoulder. She had found Glenn still sitting guard at Ricks door. She had sent the poor man home to his bed before gently knocking on Ricks bedroom door.

Rick flinched slightly under the weight of her hand, but he felt the effects of inhibitor hit him faster than it did last night. The panic he felt was gone, and the red haze had lifted somewhat. He almost felt like his normal self instead of the pulsing mass of hormones.

"I upped the dosage." Carol said as she watched Rick intently for any adverse reaction to the drug. Her gray gazes swept over his disheveled appearance, she noticed only a slight darkening under his eyes but other than that he appeared fine.

"I know," he replied, "I can feel the difference."

"The problem is, I don't know how long the effects will last. I suggest you use this time get ready as we'll leave for the hospital thirty minutes."

"Michonne?" Rick asked, "How's she doing?"

"She is in pain and wanting you."

Rick immediately stepped around Carol when he heard her call, "Rick?"

"What?" he replied already heading down the hall towards Carl's room.

"She's not in Carl's room."

Rick whipped around, "Where is she?" The frantic feeling was approaching once again, his hands twitched at his sides.

Carol shook her head, "I see the dosage didn't have the desired effect." She let out a deep sigh before pointing to Ricks bedroom, "Rick she's fine. Please hurry and get ready."

"Where is she?" he demanded.

Carol placed her hands on her hips, "Rick, do you realize you haven't asked me where your children are or how their doing?" she admonished. She was pushing it, she knew it, but this may be the only chance she could get to studying the effects of the Indluvu virus and the use of the inhibitor up close and personal.

Rick dragged a hand down his face, "Carol." He growled, his patience was running thin. "I don't want to play whatever game you have going here." He took a step toward her, his eyes hardening, "And I don't think you want me to play the game you're playing."

Carol was family but the way he was feeling at this moment, he was willing to break all family ties.

Aware Rick was at his limit, Carol answered quickly "She's downstairs, with Judith and Carl, they're trying to keep her distracted as we wait on YOU to get ready." She stepped to the side and gestured toward his bedroom. "Now hurry up!"

Rick took a deep breath and tried to control the need to run down the stairs, so he could be in Michonne's presence again. He practically forced himself to enter his bedroom and close the door, but once the door was closed he rushed and undressed and headed to his solar shower. This was the first time he wished he had opted for water shower when his house was being built, he would welcome a cold shower this morning.

Downstairs Judith regaled Michonne with story of her of her first day in kindergarten and how scared she was until looked up and saw her father and brother, staring in at her from the schoolhouse window.

Michonne tried to stay focused on the little girl's story but all she wanted was Rick. His name was on the back of her throat and she felt if she opened her mouth his name would reverberate through his home.

Carol had arrived early and helped Michonne thru her morning ministrations after giving her a dose of the inhibitor. And for the first thirty minutes Michonne felt like her old self but the effects were wearing off and she could feel the 'need' of Rick returning. WHERE WAS HE? What was taking him so long?

Keeping her lips pursed, she made sure to nod in the right places as Judith, who sat on the side of Michonne's gurney, continued to talk. Feeling like a crazy woman, Michonne held her peace with a steel determination as the virus wreaked havoc on her body. A sheen of sweat now covered her, pain flared from center of her chest. It was getting harder to breathe. This pain was different from the pain of cracked ribs and bruised tailbone, this pain radiated through her whole body.

Carl who kept a watchful eye on his sister and Michonne, must have noticed something which caused him concern as he quickly stood from the end of the sofa where he had perched once Carol had parked the automated gurney Michonne lay upon. "Carol!" he called up the stairs as he kept a nervous eye on Michonne. Judith was totally oblivious as she continued with her story about her first day of school, now giving Michonne a description of every one of her school mates.

"CAROL!" Carl roared again, when he saw Michonne right hand shake as she brought it to her brow to wipe the sweat away. He was relieved when Carol appeared at his side after racing down the stairs. She immediately went to Michonne's side as Carl lifted a now confused Judith into his arms.

"Where is he?" Michonne groaned through gritted teeth.

Concerned Carol pulled out her medical sensor from her pocket and ran it over Michonne's body, "He's coming," she answered as she read the sensors readings "He'll be down shortly."

"I don't think I can wait, please tell him to hurry" As if he had heard her cry, they all looked up at the sound of quickened footsteps on the stairwell. Michonne let out an audible sigh when Rick finally appeared in the foyer, although he had showered and changed into his official formal work uniform, dark pants and matching asymmetrical black jacket, he too was a pale, sweaty, shaking mess. Michonne held out her hand for him, which he gladly took into his.

"Daddy?" Judith called out, "What's wrong?"

Rick restraining himself, placed a chaste kiss on the back of Michonne's hand. His heart rate was returning to normal, now he was back at her side.

He finally glanced up at his daughter and son, who stared at the pair of them curiously, "Nothing's wrong Judes," he answered, using his free hand to gesture for Carl to come closer. Rick placed a kiss on Judith's cheek and ruffled Carl's long hair before turning back to Michonne. He leaned down unintentionally, his body having a mind of its own, to place a kiss on her lips when Carol hissed his name.

"Rick!" she warned, "Don't."

Biting back a curse, Rick closed his eyes as his forehead connected to Michonne's. They rested like this for a few seconds, breathing in rhythm, relishing in their closeness until the sound of the jets on the automated gurney was turned on. Rick pulled back from Michonne, dragging his eyes away from hers, he saw Carol grab her medical bag from their dining room table.

"It's time to go." Carol stated as she pulled the strap of the medical bag on her shoulder.

"Yes," Michonne answered while Rick made a mental note to talk to Carol about her sudden abruptness. Rick knew Carol to be kind and caring doctor but her bedside manner with Michonne left something to be desired. Once this procedure was over, he would make sure to make time to find out where this new attitude was coming from.

"Yes, let's go." Rick added squeezing Michonne's hand before reluctantly releasing it, so the gurney could make it through their front door.

"Dad," Carl called. Not able to pull his gaze away from Michonne's face, Rick answered absently "Yeah?"

"I think Jude's and I will stay here and wait for you to come back."

Rick shook his head to clear it he turned to his children, "Yeah, that's a good idea. Get Maggie if you need anything. We'll come back once Michonne is better. Okay?" He wanted to care if his children had eaten breakfast, if Judy had taken her allergy medicine and if Carl had finished his project from school but he could not pull up enough concern to care. Although he felt a twinge of guilt for his subpar parenting skills this morning, the Indluvu virus wouldn't allow his brain space to dwell on it.

"Alright Daddy." Judy said, gracing he father with a wide smile "Take care of my Chonne, okay?"

"Will do, Judy." He answered before followed Michonne out the door.

He barely heard Judith when she said, "Carl, there is something wrong with Daddy, he called me Judy instead of Judes."

It was a short ride to the hospital, the medical transport only had enough space for the gurney, Rick and Carol in the back. Carol, sat in the only seat available while Rick stood at an awkward position, so he could continue to hold Michonne's hand. He didn't leave her side as they made their way into the small hospital.

Carol led them down a long hallway and through some double doors. The room walls were white and so was the equipment and furniture. Carol crossed the large room and stopped another door, she waved her hand over the door's sensors.

The door swung open. She stood aside as the gurney carrying Michonne came through. She held out a hand to stop Rick as he tried to enter the room.

"Rick, you will have to wait here, as I prepare Michonne for surgery."

Both Rick and Michonne protested but Carol insisted, "You have to stay here Rick." She said, pointing to panel that sat outside the door, above it was a large window which look into the surgery room. "Go stand there. Once I have her ready, you will be able to freely look upon each other again."

"Carol?" Rick growled in warning. Her tone was really grating his nerves.

Carol let out a frustrated sigh, "Rick, I promise to move as fast as I can. Just give us a few minutes" Softening her voice, "Trust me, okay."

Rick did trust Carol. He trusted her with his life. This Inludvu was setting him on edge. He nodded and stepped back. His eyes never leaving Michonne's until Carol closed the door. He moved quickly to the large window. The window remained dark, he strode back to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. Panic and anger hit him like a ton of bricks.

He threw his body at the door but it did not move.

He tried it again, pain radiated in his shoulder, but he didn't care. Michonne was on the other side and he needed to see her.

"RICK!"

He was in his third attempt to knock the door down before he heard Carol's voice. Looking up he saw a speaker above the door.

"MICHONNE! WHERE IS SHE? I WANT TO SEE HER RIGHT NOW!" he demanded, his whole body shook in frustration and want. He knew he sounded like a crazy man but he didn't care.

"Come to the window Rick."

Rick stalked back to the wide window. Relief flooded him, when his eyes connected to Michonne's again.

Michonne lay upon a white table with only a white sheet covering her. A large cylindrical mechanical ball, hovered over her body.

Intent on basking in Michonne's eyesight, Rick didn't even notice Carol had returned to his side. And she was not alone, two of his security forces were with her. Carol quietly directed them to either side of the door she had just exited.

"Rick," she said quietly, "Rick?"

He could not take his eyes off Michonne, "Yes," he answered.

"Are you ready for this?" Carol asked, she waved her hand over the panel in front of her, it lit up showing all the colors of the rainbow, an oblong handle rose out of the center of the panel.

"Just heal her Carol."

"Rick," Carol voice took on a firm tone, as she turned toward Rick, "Listen, when I push this handle." She pointed to the mechanical ball which hovered over Michonne's body, "The machine will start up. It will send pulses through Michonne's body, and it will cause her immense pain. There will be nothing I can do to stop it, nothing you can do to stop it because if we try, she may die. We might kill her. You have to be ready to see her go through that. If you DON'T let the machine finish, you can kill her. Do you understand?"

Rick closed his eyes for a brief second, as he nodded, "I understand."

Carol turned back to the panel, "Good."

Lifting her wrist, she pressed a small black button on her wrist band. The speaker system came on, "Michonne, we'll start in a few moments," Carol said, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Michonne nodded, not taking her eyes away from Ricks, "Yes, I have to. I just wanted to tell Rick… if I don't make it, search my clothes, the wristband has a tracker in it, which will take you to my sister. Save her… please."

"You'll make it Michonne," Rick's voice was so full of emotion the words came out raspy.

"Promise me," Michonne asked, unnoticed tears streamed down her face, "Promise me you'll go find her and save her, if I don't make it."

"I promise." Rick said, his face also wet.

Carol busied herself with the panel, swiping her hands this way and that, until the brightly lit panel pulsed out a solitary golden glow.

"Michonne are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Michonne answered. "I am."

Carol held her palm over the oblong handle, "Okay, I will count down from three." Carol took a deep breath before starting the countdown, "Three. Two. One." Carol pushed down on the oblong handle, it disappeared into the panel. A soft roar filled the room as the healing chamber started up. A golden light, enveloped Michonne's body, and her face snapped back to face the ball above her.

Carol and Rick watched as Michonne's face contorted as she tried at first to hold back her screams, but the pain became too much, and she began to scream. Her body writhed on the table, as she tried to get away from the light, but she couldn't.

Rick did his best to not to hold himself still and endure the sound of Michonne screams. He clutched at the back of the chair in front of him, his knuckles as white as the chair.

Michonne let out another loud scream before she passed out.

"Michonne?!" Rick called out over the roar of the machine. He rushes passed Carol and toward the security door. He recognized the two security guards who blocked his way, Pierre Lamont and Jack Davidson.

"Davidson, Lamont stand aside." He commanded.

"Rick, they're here at Deanna's orders." Carol responded. "They are only allowed listen to my commands until Deanna relieves them."

Rick fingers the gun on his hip, "Carol, tell them to stand aside." He growled, "She passed out! She can be dying in there or already dead! I need to … I need" FUCK! He needed her!

Carol led him back to the window. "Rick, her vital's have normalized, she's alive. She made it through the worst of the chamber. We just need to let it finish healing her." Carol pointed at Michonne's prone body, "She is strong. I noticed that about her when we first brought her in. She will make it through this."

Rick worriedly wiped a hand down his face. "Tell me again, that she is going to be alright."

"She's going to be alright." Carol replied.

"Again."

Carol didn't blink an eye as she repeated her claim. "She's going to make it through this Rick."

She was just about to say it again, when Michonne's voice came over the speaker. "Rick?"

The sound of her voice sent a rush of pleasure and relief through Ricks body, tears sprung into his eyes. He quickly wiped them away as he leaned in closer to the window. "Michonne, I'm here baby."

Michonne smiled at him, "I think it worked," she said, her voice hoarse, "I'm tired but the pain is gone."

Rick nodded through his tears, "Good!" he answered, wishing he was able to touch her, "You'll be out of there soon."

"Okay," Michonne said closing her eyes, "Just be here when I wake up."

** Sorry to end it there but the scenes I have in my head for when Michonne wakes up and she is all healed, I wanted to start on a fresh chapter! Can't wait to show you guys, where this story is going to go! Thanks for hanging in there with me.


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